epiScope

Priest, 28, takes youthful approach to new job at church

The Rev. Jennifer Creswell hopes to attract young families and teens into the congregation
WHITNEY MALKIN
Portland (OR) Oregonian
January 31, 2008

Striding down the steps of St. Luke the Physician Episcopal Church in Gresham, the Rev. Jennifer Creswell bounces with energy.

Just two weeks into her new job, the 28-year-old already has a mission -- using her youth to shake up a traditional congregation.

A graduate of Portland's Grant High School, Creswell is one of the youngest priests in the Gresham church's history and an exception in the Episcopal clergy, where close to 90 percent of priests are older than 35.

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Journey to ordained ministry

How I Got Where I Am Today: Mom Becomes an Episcopal Priest
By Perri Capell
The Wall Street Journal

Of the 16,650 members of the Episcopal clergy in the U.S. today, about a quarter are women. But in 1976, just over 100 women had been ordained to the Episcopal ministry, and many Episcopalians didn't want to worship with a female rector.

The call to the priesthood was too strong for Patricia M. Thomas to let that stop her. At a time when women in their 30s seldom put their careers before their families, she left her sixth-grade daughter and eighth-grade son at home with her husband and went to theological school.

"They were the ones who were making the sacrifice," she says. "I was really clear about what I was doing and why I was doing it."

It’s all here …

Epiphanies

Removal vote nearing for Episcopal bishop
But Duncan avoids suspension in fight over church doctrine
January 17, 2008
By Ann Rodgers
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Officials of the Episcopal Church have taken a first step toward removing theologically conservative Bishop Robert Duncan as head of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, but he dodged an ecclesiastical bullet when the three senior bishops of the church declined the presiding bishop's request to immediately suspend him.

Instead, all the bishops of the Episcopal Church will vote on whether to depose him, most likely at their fall meeting, for "abandoning the communion" of the Episcopal Church. "Communion" is a broad term that encompasses the beliefs, fellowship and structure of a church.

Bishop Duncan yesterday denied the charge.

"Few bishops have been more loyal to the doctrine, discipline and worship of the Episcopal Church," he said. "I will continue to serve and minister as the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh."

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Episcopal church cracks down on dissidents
By Michael Conlon
Reuters
Jan 16, 2008

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Leaders of the U.S. Episcopal Church have stepped up a crackdown on conservative dissidents, ordering one bishop to stop his religious work and threatening a second with the same thing.

Both rebuffed the moves.

The worldwide Anglican church and its U.S. branch have been fractured since 2003 when the Episcopal Church consecrated Gene Robinson of New Hampshire as the first bishop known to be in an openly gay relationship in over four centuries.

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Bishop Duncan Avoids a Ban -- For Now
by Cary McMullen
Lakeland (FL) Ledger
January 16, 2008

According to a story on the Web site of the Episcopal Church, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has notified Bishop Robert Duncan of the Diocese of Pittsburgh that a review committee has formally found that Duncan has "abandoned the communion of the church" and narrowly avoided being slapped with an "inhibition," which would have forbidden him from acting in the capacity of a priest or bishop. This follows last week's similar action against Bishop John-David Schofield of San Joaquin (Calif.). Schofield was inhibited, but a panel of bishops (which included South Florida Bishop Leo Frade) refused to give Schori permission to take the same action against Duncan, for reasons that were not made public. Shortly after receiving notice from Schori, Duncan issued a statement denying the allegation: "Few bishops have been more loyal to the doctrine, discipline and worship of The Episcopal Church. I have not abandoned the Communion of this Church."

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Episcopal Church Acts Against Pittsburgh Bishop
WTAE (Pittsburgh)
January 16, 2008

PITTSBURGH -- An Episcopal committee says that conservative Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan has "abandoned the communion of this church" -- a potential first step toward stripping him of religious authority in the denomination.

The committee blocked the national Episcopal Church from imposing the penalty of "inhibition," which would have barred him from performing religious duties. But the Episcopal House of Bishops is expected to consider imposing the punishment near the end of this year.

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, who notified Duncan that he had abandoned the communion on Tuesday, told Duncan that she sought permission to inhibit him.

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Episcopal Church acts against Pittsburgh bishop
Associated Press
January 17, 2008

An Episcopal committee says that conservative Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan has "abandoned the communion of this church" _ a potential first step toward stripping away his religious authority in the denomination.

Senior bishops in the Episcopal Church blocked the national church from imposing the penalty of "inhibition," which would have barred him from performing religious duties. But the Episcopal House of Bishops is expected to consider imposing the punishment near the end of this year.

The Pittsburgh diocese wants to split from the U.S. denomination and join another province of the Anglican Communion, a loose-knit worldwide fellowship of churches that aligns itself with the Church of England. The Pittsburgh diocese also wants like-minded conservative parishes outside the 11-county western Pennsylvania jurisdiction to be able to join them.

In a statement, Duncan says he hasn't abandoned the church and will "continue to serve and minister."

It’s all here …

Religious freedom in Fresno
Andrew Fiala
San Francisco Chronicle
Open Forum
January 17, 2008

The drama regarding the Episcopalian Church in Fresno shows us the complexity of the ideal of religious liberty. Americans are right to celebrate the separation of church and state. But we must acknowledge that religious liberty means that religions are free to espouse views that many of us believe are intolerant. This works so long as church and state remain separate.

Last month, a substantial majority of Episcopalians here in Fresno voted to leave the American Episcopal Church and align with the Church of the Southern Cone. The immediate cause of this fissure was the Episcopal Church's changing view of homosexuality and marriage. According to the more conservative reading of the Bible propounded by the Fresno Episcopalians, the church should not approve homosexual relationships or ordain homosexual clergy.

The Episcopal Church responded last week by "inhibiting" John-David Schofield, the bishop of San Joaquin. This means that he is prohibited him from carrying out his ministerial duties. In reply, Schofield claims that because he is no longer a member of the Episcopal Church, the order of inhibition does not apply to him.

It’s all here …

Journeys

St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Smithfield, North Carolina, Welcomes New Priest
The Rev. Kenny Miller Called to Be 23rd Rector
By Mudlucky
Published Jul 12, 2007

After a long, intensive search for a new Priest, the Vestry of St. Paul's chose the Rev. Kenny Miller, who was then serving as Assistant Rector at St. James Episcopal Church in Wichita, Kansas, to serve as the 23rd Rector of St. Paul's. According to church documents, the Search Committee, co-chaired by Ken Ferguson and Russell Wilcox, reviewed more than 60 applicants over an 18 month period before narrowing the search to 2 candidates. The vestry, under the leadership of Beverly Jordan the Senior Warden, then chose Miller to be their next Rector.

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Church takes people on a spiritual journey
By Earl Vaughan Jr.
July 13, 2007

Rev. Raymond Brown stands on a labyrinth on the floor of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. The labyrinth is an ancient way of meditating and praying while going on a ‘journey’ through the structure.

Early in the design process for the remodeling of the sanctuary at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, leaders decided to include something from ancient Christian tradition in the project.

As a result, the church may be the only one in the Cape Fear region with a genuine labyrinth built into the floor.

The labyrinth, a tool for meditation, dates back to the year 1200 and the famous Chartres Cathedral in France, where what is considered the most famous labyrinth in the world is located. A labyrinth simulates a pilgrimage.

“I think of it as sort of meditation for people who can’t sit still,” said the Rev. Ray Brown. “It’s one of many tools people use.”

It’s all here …

Women of the cloth
By Tony Gutierrez
Clovis (NM) News Journal
July 12 2007

...

The Rev. Michael Perko, Canon to the Ordinary for the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande, said out of 100 dioceses nationwide, only three do not ordain women to the priesthood, though they do ordain women to the diaconate.

“The odds of someone getting a clergy person they would not like to have in terms of gender is relatively minor, because they have a huge hand in selecting our clergy,” Perko said. “While there’s controversy in certain dioceses, women are accepted in the Episcopal Church. Women clergy in the diocese are acceptable and licensed to function as priests.”

The Episcopal Church began ordaining women in the 1970s. Individual parishes can choose whether to accept clergywoman, Perko said.

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Women clergy in our church

Female clergy still face challenges in calling
More women than ever are leading churches, but they continue to experience discrimination and resistance.
Des Moines Register
May 14, 2007

Cedar Rapids, Ia. - The Rev. Brenda Peconge of Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids is often asked when she and her husband, Brian Middleswarth, will start a family.

She doesn't mind the question, but she's certain most of her male counterparts aren't confronted with it. She's also sure they aren't asked about recipes, what they will bring to the church dinner or whether they will join a circle.

"I do think there tends to be a differing initial response to women clergy," Peconge, 36, said. "People have certain cultural expectations of women that are fairly well ingrained, like motherhood, which sometimes seem to lead them to viewpoints and opinions that they would not have of men."

It's all here... Actually, Katharine Jefferts Schori was elected, not named, Presiding Bishop.

Women of God

St. Peter's clergywomen contemplate their role in Episcopal Church
Frank Morris
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
West Valley View (AZ)

Women rule at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Litchfield Park. But just more than three decades ago, it wouldn't have been that way.

Gae Chalker, 52, was raised in the Episcopal Church. She remembers being a little girl attending service, wishing she could somehow be more involved.

"I always loved the worship service, even when I was 10 years old, and I could remember so bad wanting to be an acolyte and hold the cross and hold the candles," Chalker said. "And I decided I couldn't sing very well, but I joined the choir just so I could be a part of the worship service."

In 1998, Chalker went on to become the first woman priest at St. Peter's.

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Women joining ranks of pastors

Female clergy bearing cross of inequality
By Christine Morente
San Mateo (CA) County Times
03/22/2007 08:56:44 AM PDT

SAN MATEO — The first time Melanie Donahoe saw a woman preside over a church service, it touched her heart.

"I didn't realize how much pain I had from growing up in a church that did not permit women as pastors," the San Mateo resident said of the event 25 years ago.

Raised Roman Catholic, Donahoe said she felt more at home in the Episcopal Church because of its openness to accept anyone at the altar, and decided to convert. But it did take her some time to make the leap to join the priesthood.

"It was a call I could no longer refuse," she said. "I asked God to drop the two-by-four, and she did. Being able to help people celebrate their most holy and sacred moments within the ritual of the church is very much what I felt called to do by God and by people."

Today, she is the associate rector at Transfiguration Episcopal Church in San Mateo.

It’s all here …

Handmaidens of the Lord

From the Fauquier Times-Democrat in northern Virginia, reporter Connie Lyons has a good story asking: "Is the current firestorm in the Episcopal Church over the ordination of homosexuals rooted in the earlier controversy over ordination of women?"

Other than the fact that with that headline I can't help thinking of Margaret Atwood, it's a good profile of three women Episcopal priests in the Diocese of Virginia.

It's all here at Handmaidens of the Lord.

UPDATE: Grandma (below) has a sharper eye than I. Indeed, the Bishop-Elect of Virginia would be quite surprised to know he was the only other woman candidate. At least a sects change was not involved as well...

Good news from Raleigh

Pastor charts new course

The first black woman ordained in the Episcopal diocese pushes her Raleigh congregation to reach out

Yonat Shimron, Staff Writer

At a noontime Bible study at St. Ambrose Episcopal Church in Raleigh, eight people pored over a passage from the Gospel of Luke, in which Jesus urges his disciples -- all fishermen -- to push out into the deep sea and cast their nets.

As the students hunched over their Bibles and reflected on what they'd read, the Rev. Kimberly Lucas offered her take.

"I love this phrase, 'push out into the deep water,' " she said. "There's very little risk involved in staying in the shallow waters. When you're in your boat and you can't see land, it's much more intimidating."

For Bible study participants who know Lucas, that love of risk-taking is a hallmark trait. Lucas is a pioneer herself -- the perfect person to do the prodding. A Fayetteville native, she is the first black woman ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, and the first woman to lead this historic black church.

It's all here...